Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1887-06-25

the words out OF her mouth when from every
point we saw dark forms rushing up, bearing
with them what we at first took TO be enor-
nous flaming torches Whatever they we're
they were burning furIonsly, for the flames
stood out yard or more behind each bearer.
On they came, fifty or more OF them, looking
like devils from hell with their flaming bur
dens. Leo was the first to discover what these
burdens were
sGrent heaven!" he shouted; ''they are
corpses on flrei"
stared, and stared again. He was per
fectly right; the torches that were to light
our entertainment were human mummies
from the cavesi
On rushed the bearers Of the flaming
corpses, and meeting at a spot about twenty
PAGES in front of US, built their ghastly burdens
crossways into a huge bonfire. Heavens
how they reared and 1aredl No tar barrel
could have burned as those munimies did.
Nor was this all. Suddenly saw one great
fellow seize flaming human arm that had
fallen from its parent frame and rush OFF into
the darkness. Presently he stopped and
tall streak of fire shot up into the air,
illumining tho gloom, and also tho lamp from
which it sprung. The lamp was the mummy
Of O woman tied to stout stake let
into the rock, and he had fired her hair. On
he went few PAGES and touched second,
then third and a fourth, till at last we were
surrounded on three sides by great ring Of
bodies faring furiously, the material with
which they were preserved having rendered
them so inhammable that the flames would
literally spout out of the ears and mouth in
tongues Of fire foot or more long
Nero Illuminated his gardens with live
Christians soaked in tar, and we were now
treated to n similar spectacle, probably for
the first time since his day, only, happily, our
lamps were not living ones
II promised thee strange sight, my Holly
laughed Ayesha, whose nerves alone did not
seem to be affected, aand. behold, have not
: failed thee. Also, it hath its lesson Trust
not to the future, for who knows what the
future may bringl Therefore live for the
day, and endeavor not to escape the dust
which seems to be mans end. What thinkest
thou those long forgotten mobiles and ladies
would have felt had they known that they
should one day flare to light the dance or boil
the pot Of savages9 But see, here come the
dancers; merry crew--are they not9 The
stage is lighted-now for the play
As she spoke, we perceived two lines Of
figures, one male and the other female, to Tho
number OF about 100, each advancing round
; the human bonfire, arrayed only in the usua
I, leopard AID buck skins. They formed up, il
perfect silence, in two lines facing eacl
other, between us and tho fire, and then til,
dance-a sort OF internal and flendish cancai
began. To describe it is quite impossible
but though there was a good deal of tossinj
: of legs and double shutting, 1t seemed to ou
untutored minds to be more Of play than
dance, and, ns usual with this dreadful pee
pie, whose minds seem to have taken thei
color from the caves in which they live, an,
whose Jokes and amusements are drawn iron
the inexhaustible stores Of preserved MOI
tality with which they share their homes, tn
subject appeared to be a most CHASTITY one
know that IL represented an attempts
murder first Of all, and then the burial aliv
Of the victim and mis- struggling from th
grave, each act of the abominable drama
which was carried ON in perfect silence, bt
ing rounded Off and finished with furiou
and most revolving danes round the suppose
:, victim, who writhed upon the ground IN til
red light Of the fire.
y Presently, however, this pleasing piece wa
= interrupted Suddenly there was sligt
!. commotion, and great powerful woman
whom had noted as one of the most vigo
: GUS OF the dancers, came, made mad an
= drunken with unhoiy excitement, boundin
= and staggering toward us, shrieking out
:. she came
y ~ want black goat; must have blac
Of goat; bring rne black goat!, and down 81
y fell upon tho rocky floor, foaming and writ
aud oh for N aIz.,k
" hideous q spectacle as can well be conceive
70 Instantly most OF the dancers came up, al
10 got round her, though some still continue
~ their capers In the background.
DC aShe has got Devil" sung one OF ther
al "Run and get black goat. There, Dew
~ keep quiet-keep quiet! You shall have Il
'ls goat presently. They have gone to fetch
VI Devils
70 II wanta black goat; must have bla,
YES goatr shrieked the foaming, rolling creatu
us again
Nc sAll right, Devil, the goat viii be he
by presently; keep quiet, there's a good Devil
lal And SO on, till the goat, taken from
ell neighbo-ing kraal, did at last arrive, beil
en- dragged, bleating on to the scene by
I'M horns.
YES "Is II black onci--is II a black one
me shrieked the possessed. t
ayes, yes, Devil, as black as night;r th
'es aside, 4seep it behind thee; don't let t
'as Devil see it has got white spot on It's run
led and another ON its belly. In one minu,
Devil There, cut its throat, quick Whe
on Is the saucerr
'or 4The goati the goat the goatl Give I
res the blood Of my black goatl must have
vol don't you see must have lit Oh! obi @
~ give me the blood of the goat"
all At this moment terrified BAH announc
m that the poor goat had been sacrificed, n
RS the next minute woman ran up with
Tho saucer full ct the blood. This the possess
ur- creature, who was then raviug and foami
me her widest, seized and drank, and was
IT'S stantly recovered, and without trace
sh, Mysteries, er fits, or being possessed or VIII
or ever drea sful thing IL was she was suffer-
the from. Sic stretched her arms, smiled faint
lad and walked quietly buck to the dancers, W
ces presently Withdrew in double line as til
by had come. leaving the space between us a
lld the bonfire deserted.
ye thought the entertainment tfc) was n,
YER over, and feeling rather queer, wsss about
nld ask She IL we could rise, when suddenly wi
'es, at first | took to be baboon came fanrYni